Chapter 188. Middle Game (3)

Immediately after deciding to pursue the magical beast.

Behind the hill where the freelancer unit was located, in the ruined area where the outsourcing district's former external facilities were.

After confirming that the enemy had landed not far from there, everyone began to move to that area as quickly as possible.

“Listen while we move. I have information on the enemy.”

From the front of the seven figures running across the midnight plain, Enoch slowly opened his mouth.

“To counter the regeneration of the enemy magical beasts, you have to inflict irreparable damage to their brain or heart. If you destroy other parts, they will regenerate quickly.”

In other words, even if half their face was destroyed, as long as the brain, or more accurately, the area where the brain was, was intact, they would regenerate.

From the side, Alicia exclaimed with a surprised expression.

“Ah! As expected, your grasp of the situation is incredibly fast!”

“I’ve seen it before.”

Enoch replied quietly as he ran.

“The methods are somewhat similar to the experimental magical beasts created by a black mage named Tantalus.”

It was true that their regenerative power was less than that of Tantalus’s magical beasts, which could regenerate even if their heads were completely cut off.

But in terms of size, aggression, and numbers, they were far superior individuals. Perhaps they had undergone some kind of improvement since then.

It was a relief that they weren't completely immortal, but when I looked back with a lingering feeling, the other freelancers were all just staring blankly, as if they couldn't understand the situation.

Did they think we had deserted the formation?

It was true that we had left without a word, but it couldn't be helped. I felt a pang of guilt for a moment, but I decided to focus on the situation at hand.

After confirming that the entire team was following, Enoch entered the ruined area behind the hill.

He had everyone gather at the entrance to the ruins.

The low-lying ruined area, with only the foundations of the buildings remaining, was dark and filled with cold night air.

After sharing the flight location of the magical beast they had witnessed, they immediately set off.

As he moved through the middle of the ruins, where the wind rustled through the building debris with an eerie sound, Enoch accelerated his thoughts.

A considerable amount of time had already passed since that magical beast's surprise attack unit had landed.

The enemy must have already started moving.

“If they intend to ambush the vanguard of our allies from the rear, we’ll run into them soon.”

Just then, from behind, a loud explosion and the sound of clashing weapons were heard.

The freelancer unit had also entered a charge formation and had finally clashed head-on with the vanguard of the magical beasts.

The battlefield, where pyrotechnic and flame-type magic exploded, emitting a red light, was visible even from beyond the hill.

“Direct Lineage Member, I found them-mda!”

At that moment, Nano, who was deploying her drone, shouted towards us. At the same time, a red arrow appeared on the terminal in the direction she was pointing, marking the enemy.

“Enemy confirmed. Sirocco will use her mobility to launch a surprise attack on the vanguard, and when they are flustered, we’ll wipe them out in one blow.”

Enoch said concisely and looked back at Sirocco.

“And Sirocco, take me with you.”

“Huh?”

To Sirocco, whose ears were perked up, Enoch replied briefly.

“I’ll give orders directly from the field.”

At that, Alicia’s eyes widened. It was a look of disbelief.

“Y-yes? The Direct Lineage Member himself will go to the front lines?”

Enoch nodded without a word.

He would not draw his sword here.

Of course, he knew better than anyone that April, Nano, and Alicia would not use the fact that he used a sword to pull any tricks.

But most importantly, this was an open area, and the freelancer legion was not far away.

In other words, unless it was absolutely necessary, when it was truly needed, not drawing his sword was the best option.

In the first place, that was one of the reasons why Enoch had gathered such a powerful squad.

But that didn't mean he would stand by and do nothing.

This was a squad he had gathered through tireless effort. He had no intention of being irresponsible and leaving everything to his squad members while insisting on his own circumstances.

“Alright, then stick to me.”

Enoch moved close to Sirocco and wrapped his arm around her waist. Sirocco also held Enoch tightly with her slender arms.

Enoch and Sirocco’s gazes met.

Right in front of him, Sirocco’s ruby-like eyes shone beautifully, and soon, she gave him a charming eye smile.

“Hmph~ I quite like this!”

“What did you say?”

“It’s nothing!”

The next moment, I was swept away by a sense of pressure from the front. It was a sensation I hadn't felt in a while, a feeling of being launched forward.

The leg strength enhanced by Sirocco's physical enhancement ability kicked off the ground and drew a large parabola in the night sky, leaping over the unit.

The hem of the uniform, shining white in the moonlight, fluttered wildly in the strong wind, and a wall of air that felt like it was pressing down on me brushed past my eyes, making them sting.

By the time the soles of my shoes touched the ground again, I tapped Sirocco’s shoulder lightly three times to signal her. She leaped with her incredible jumping power.

Gritting my teeth and enduring the intense acceleration that felt like being crushed by an invisible hand, the pressure soon disappeared.

Narrowing my eyes against the sound of the wind, I saw that we were about 50 meters above the ground.

At the end of the ruined area, in a wide-open space like a plaza, a dark, black mass was swarming.

And in their direct line of sight was none other than the main force of the freelancer legion.

There was no sign that the main force had noticed the critical situation of a magical beast secretly sneaking up behind them.

“We’re falling!”

On Sirocco’s signal, Enoch and Sirocco, having lost their inertia, began to draw a free-fall trajectory.

Immediately, Sirocco, as if it were nothing, stretched out her leg to a tree branch and, with exquisite timing, bent her leg to absorb the impact of the fall.

She then immediately jumped to the next building ruin.

Without a moment to catch his breath, Enoch gave the charge sign to the rear with his hand.

He confirmed the team members running together on the ground.

Looking down from the top of the building again, this time the enemy’s appearance was even clearer.

They looked like humans, standing on two legs, but their arms were equipped with huge awls for injecting bodily fluids and infecting human bodies.

The characteristic shell of their outer skin shone like obsidian.

The number was enormous.

They were about a head taller than Enoch.

Fortunately, they seemed to be regular-class individuals, as they did not exceed the size of a normal person.

Since they were in a dense formation and were only focused on the main force of the freelancer legion, they fortunately showed no signs of having noticed our presence.

One of them, noticing Enoch’s party descending from the sky, roared, but it was too late.

Enoch and Sirocco jumped into the middle of the enemy swarm, sticking close together.

Just before they plunged in, Sirocco, who had been holding onto Enoch, let go. Enoch landed, rolling forward to absorb the impact.

Sirocco, who had charged straight ahead, displayed her terrifying leg strength and began to run around, disrupting the enemy’s dense formation.

A savage, tornado-like roundhouse kick shattered the magical beast’s characteristic hard armor in a single blow.

As the outer shell shattered and scattered into the air, the sharp screams of the magical beasts erupted from all sides.

Sirocco’s sleek, bare legs, which delivered incredibly powerful kicks, were like a death blow from the grim reaper, sentencing the magical beasts to death.

Following that, her companions shattered the enemy lines one after another.

“Tch, I can’t lose!”

Following that, April ran with her sniper rifle held at an angle, then slid on her feet, rotating her body halfway.

She shouldered the rifle, placed her finger on the trigger, and began to snipe.

Every time a golden casing flew up, the pink barrel spewed fire, and the rotating bullet in the air rushed in and mercilessly pierced the enemy.

The swarm of magical beasts, which had been about to launch a surprise attack but were instead ambushed, were completely routed.

Sirocco moved through the ruins at a speed that was invisible to the eye, spreading death in all directions.

Nano’s drone, which was walking out from behind, floated in the air, scanned the enemies, and marked the hidden ones with a laser designator.

Even if they abandoned their comrades and tried a flanking attack, they were only pierced by April’s precise sniping.

In the end, about 30 experimental magical beasts began to flee, screaming in terror.

Enoch calmly stared at them and ordered.

“Don’t let a single one escape.”

Behind them, the 19th outsourcing district was spread out defenselessly.

If even one of them escaped, it would be more than enough for the experimental magical beasts to cause indiscriminate infections.

“Leave this to me!”

Just then, the scent of citrus-based shampoo brushed past me.

Alicia, her long hair fluttering, threw herself in front of Enoch, then rotated on her right foot, and, imbuing the centrifugal force, she thrust her Bombardment Lance forward with great force.

“Dragoon Bombardment Art, Number 7——!”

Clank, the sound of loading.

“All rounds fire, Full Burst. Pierce through!”

The 30 or so experimental magical beasts that were fleeing with their backs turned were instantly engulfed in a bombardment that scattered crimson flames.

THOOOOOM!!

The magical beasts’ characteristic metallic screams were blown away and erased by the flames and the aftermath of the explosion.

At the same time, from their destroyed bodies, black ashes flew in all directions like a spray of blood.

Not only that, but the surrounding buildings were also shattered, and even the trees within the radial range were completely destroyed, the ground vibrating with a heavy rumble.

For a moment, Enoch forgot that he was in the middle of a battle and just stared at the scene.

Ground Zero.

A bombing point where everything had been erased. There was truly no other way to describe that blow.

The closed bolt of Alicia’s Bombardment Lance retreated, and empty cartridges, spewing white smoke, fell out.

She had fired all of those countless cartridges at once to maximize her firepower.

It was one of the main techniques of the original Alicia.

But at that moment, I flinched, noticing that the skin of a magical beast, half of whose body had been blown off by the explosion, was swelling and convulsing as it began to raise its upper body again.

The magical beasts that had avoided damage to their heart or brain were showing signs of regeneration.

“Alicia, fall back!”

Alicia, who had understood Enoch’s intention, retreated, and at the same time, April, who was positioned among the ruined rock formations, shouldered her sniper rifle.

The mana, which had been raised to its limit, coiled around the barrel and heated up.

TAAAAANG!!

The muzzle flashed in the darkness.

Without even a moment to confirm the hit, April reloaded in succession, changed her aim.

She took out sniper rounds, held them between her fingers, and, like an acrobat, continued to load the bullets into the chamber and pulled the trigger, unleashing a continuous barrage.

[Freeze Stun]

The bullets pierced the enemy’s chest and head, and then the magic that April had inscribed exploded.

The swarm of magical beasts, which had been attempting a knight sacrifice, was pierced through and through by the storm of bullets and could no longer move.

The sniper rifle, which had fired all its bullets, smelled of acrid gunpowder.

April waited, and realizing that the magical beasts were no longer showing any signs of regeneration, she sighed.

“Phew, that should be all of them……”

It was precisely because of that certainty.

When one of the magical beasts at Alicia and Enoch’s feet suddenly leaped up and charged at them, their response was delayed.

However, instead of panicking, Enoch calmly watched the charging magical beast out of the corner of his eye.

It didn't matter how erratically the magical beasts acted.

In the first place, a competent maid who could protect him even in such a situation was here with him.

“Lien.”

“I hear you.”

The moment the magical beast’s awl rushed towards Enoch and Alicia, a wire pierced its side.

Lien, her long silver hair fluttering as she landed, slid and wrapped the magical beast’s body with a silver thread.

The next moment, the magical beast exploded, cut into dozens of pieces along the line where the wire had been wrapped horizontally.

Black ashes rose in all directions, and Alicia stood frozen in place, her eyes wide open.

Alicia, forgetting even to say thank you, turned to the side with a dazed expression.

Even without words, I could tell she was asking, “What was that magic just now?”

Enoch felt the same way.

“S-seriously, she’s a maid, right…?”

The moment April muttered with dazed eyes.

From the side, Alicia’s eyes sparkled. Enoch thought for a moment, then replied nonchalantly.

“She’s probably over 15th Rank.”

“Wow! As expected, the maids of the Elsyde are amazing!”

Alicia nodded innocently. Enoch, seeing that, was at a loss for words for a moment and was slightly impressed.

She certainly seemed a bit too pure.

From the side, April tried to argue, but she also seemed to be a little confused.

Normally, it was said that mages over 10th Rank used Unique Magic and unique magic gears, but there were exceptions.

As the magic schools of the modern Empire were insanely broad and endless.

Unless one was a high-ranking mage, it would be impossible to accurately determine her rank from the very short performance that Lien had just shown.

…But was 15th Rank a bit of an underestimation?

“This area is now cleared.”

At those words, I turned around and saw that Sirocco was stepping on a crumbling magical beast with her white, bare legs.

In the middle of the desolate battlefield littered with corpses, under the white moonlight, the squad members looked at me with their own brightly shining eyes.

Annihilation. In that short moment…

Enoch trembled without realizing it.

This was a team that could undoubtedly act as the strongest squad in this operation, both in name and in reality.

The essence of Enoch’s ‘other sword,’ which he had finally assembled with the mages he had gathered through painstaking effort, was right here.

Strong.

Was this the true value of a ‘squad,’ where the operational capabilities of the talents I had gathered so far worked together?

“Enemy annihilated, but there’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

“Yes. The original plan has gone awry, hasn’t it?”

April, with a ping, ejected the casing of her sniper rifle and approached, saying.

“We were trying to track the flying magical beasts that dropped these guys here and left.”

“That’s right.”

“Look over there.”

In the sky, the pterosaur-like magical beasts were circling, looking down at us with their shell-covered heads.

And then, as if they had grasped the entire situation on the ground.

They slowly turned their wings and began to fly through the night sky towards somewhere in the forest.

“Can we even chase after them? Should we try to find their footprints, enter the forest, and search?”

“That’s also fine, but.”

Enoch focused his senses for a moment.

“It probably won’t be necessary.”

As he raised his sense of mana to its limit for the first time in a long time and stared at the flying magical beasts, a line of light cutting across the night sky, as expected, came into his eyes.

It clearly matched the unidentified green light that had been shining from between the shells of the experimental magical beasts.

“I think I can find a trace.”

Enoch, who had confirmed that the familiar green streak of light was leading to the forest, spoke calmly.

“With this much, I can probably figure out the approximate location of their base.”

“Y-yes? What did you find?”

April, who was squatting on the side and diligently searching for footprints on the ground, asked in surprise, but Enoch lightly shook his head.

“I just found a trace of them.”

“No, wait a minute! Where’s the trace…!!”

Just then.

Suddenly, from beyond the hill, from the freelancer legion, a crazy cheer erupted.

For a moment, a shiver ran down my spine at the sound.

It wasn't a cheer of victory.

A voice closer to a scream or a shriek for help. All the members froze for a moment and exchanged glances with each other.

“W-what’s happening to the main force……”

Lily, who had breathlessly followed behind thanks to the consideration of the other members, trembled, clutching her magic gear with both hands.

“Tch, what the hell is going on over there now!”

April, biting her lip slightly, loaded her rifle and turned her head towards Enoch.

“So, what do we do?”

The situation was already lacking information.

For a moment, a strange thought crossed my mind. The magical beasts we had fought here were for a surprise attack, but they were only ‘regular-class’ individuals.

Then where on earth were the ‘leader-class’ individuals that were leading them?

Immediately after making a judgment, Enoch quickly made a decision.

“Let’s return to the main force, join them, and check the situation.”